I have said it before on these pages and I will repeat myself by saying that colour is so important when buying a new car. Last week’s test car the Peugeot E-308 came in a lovely shade of Elixir Red and it certainly impressed everybody in our house and a few of our neighbours also. Red cars are supposed to be the best at retaining their looks.
When Peugeot launched their new 308 a few years back in Athlone, some writers were surprised that the car came in Olivine Green colour. I know that in Ireland many people reckon that green is an unlucky colour, but at the time of the Irish launch Peugeot had to accept the colours that came from the Peugeot factory in France.
Peugeot launched their 308 in 2007 and the first generation was largely based on its predecessor the 307. The second-generation was unveiled in 2013, and third-generation model, unveiled in Ireland in 2022 was introduced as a hybrid powertrain. The new version certainly majors in style and design.
At the launch in of the new 308 in May 2022, Peugeot make no secret that they are benchmarking it against the VW Golf, but the Toyota Corolla could also be a rival. The 308 was the first to carry the new Peugeot ‘shield’ logo and it’s only available in Ireland as an automatic as no manual right-hand drive versions of the car were made.
I have driven Hybrid and petrol versions of the 308 previously, but last week it was the fully electric E-308. When you drive an electric car, the first question any friend or acquaintance will ask is the range, which officially is approximately 440km, but as the great Con Houlihan used to say, read on.
At first glance you would have no idea that it’s a fully electric as the car shares the same styling as the petrol and diesel versions. A discreet ‘E-308’ logo on the boot lid is the only external hint.
I drove the GT model which gets a few little extras like matrix LED headlights, the shield logo on both front wings, full LED ‘claw effect’ rear lights, and a small GT logo on the boot plus 18-inch diamond cut alloys. At the front the grille is very prominent with the famous Lion shield logo bang in the in the centre.
Inside, everything is well organised and easy to use with Peugeot’s ‘i-Cockpit.’ The steering wheel is neat and allows the driver to get a good view of the full digital display and you get a good old-fashioned button to adjust the radio volume.
If it’s power you are after the electric motor coupled with a 45kWh Lithium-ion battery provides the car with 154 brake horse power that will get you from zero to 100kmh in just under ten seconds. Probably not a good idea if you are worried about your range.
In the past Peugeot were famous for providing a spare wheel in almost all models, but not anymore. Very few car companies now provide a proper or ‘mini’ spare wheels and of course no CD player anymore either. I miss the old CD player. The boot is a decent size and there is also space under the boot floor to stow away those awkward charging cables.
I also liked the way the car doors locked as I walked away from the car; the doors unlock as you approach the car once the key fob is your pocket or handbag.
Prices start at €36,995 for the Allure version, while the GT version that I drove is available from €39,795. With regard to the range, I think you would do well to get 400km on a full charge.
No doubt about it, this 308 is a classy looking hatchback and there is also a Sportswagon version available. In ‘old money’ that an estate or station wagon.
